Damper with induced imbalance

Abstract

A torsion damper including: a plurality of springs; a first plate with a central axis; and a second plate with a central axis. The plurality of springs displaces the first and second plates so that the central axis for the first plate is radially offset from the central axis for the second plate. In one embodiment, the radial offset between the central axis for the first plate and the central axis for the second plate is fixed. In another embodiment, the first plate comprises a central bore and the second plate comprises an extruded cylinder; and the fixed alignment is maintained by contact between the central bore and the extruded cylinder.

1. A torsion damper comprising:
 a plurality of springs; 
 a first cover plate including:
 a first plurality of apertures engaged with the plurality of springs and in which the plurality of springs is at least partially located; and, 
 a first center of mass; and, 
 
 a flange plate including:
 a second plurality of apertures engaged with the plurality of springs and in which the plurality of springs is at least partially located; and, 
 a second center of mass, wherein:
 the first cover plate includes a first central axis radially centered with respect to the first center of mass; 
 the flange plate includes a second central axis radially centered with respect to the second center of mass; and, 
 the first and second central axis are non co-linear. 
 
 
 
     
     
       2. The torsion damper of  claim 1 , wherein a radial offset between the central axis for the first plate and the central axis for the flange is fixed. 
     
     
       3. The torsion damper of  claim 2 , wherein the first plate comprises a central bore and the flange comprises an extruded cylinder; and the fixed alignment is maintained by contact between the central bore and the extruded cylinder. 
     
     
       4. The torsion damper of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate comprises a central bore and the flange comprises an extruded cylinder and wherein the plurality of springs displaces the first plate and the flange so that the central bore and the extruded cylinder are in contact. 
     
     
       5. The torsion damper of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate or the flange exhibits rotational imbalance when rotated about its central axis. 
     
     
       6. The torsion damper of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate or the flange includes a respective cutout and wherein under rotation, the respective cutout unbalances the first or second plate. 
     
     
       7. The torsion damper of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate or the flange includes a respective mass element attached to the plate and wherein, under rotation, the respective mass element unbalances the first or second plate. 
     
     
       8. The torsion damper of  claim 1 , wherein the first plate includes an outer circumference and a central bore forming an inner circumference and wherein a radial distance between the inner and outer circumferences is non-uniform. 
     
     
       9. A torsion damper comprising:
 a plurality of springs; 
 a first cover plate including:
 a first plurality of apertures engaged with the plurality of springs and in which the plurality of springs is at least partially located; 
 a central bore; and, 
 an outside diameter; and, 
 
 a flange plate including a second plurality of apertures engaged with the plurality of springs and in which the plurality of springs is at least partially located, wherein:
 the first cover plate includes a first central axis radially centered with respect to the central bore; 
 the first cover plate includes an offset axis radially centered with respect to the outside diameter; and, 
 the first central axis and the offset axis are non co-linear. 
 
 
     
     
       10. The torsion damper of  claim 9  wherein the first plate with the central bore and the first plurality of apertures has a first center of mass. 
     
     
       11. The torsion damper of  claim 10 , wherein the first central axis passes through the first center of mass, wherein the flange plate includes a second center of mass and a second central axis parallel to the first central axis and passing through the second center of mass for the flange plate, and wherein the first central axis and the second central axis are radially offset. 
     
     
       12. The torsion damper of  claim 11 , wherein the first central axis and the second central axis are in a fixed radial alignment. 
     
     
       13. The torsion damper of  claim 12 , wherein the flange plate comprises an extruded cylinder and the fixed radial alignment is maintained by contact between the first plate central bore and the flange plate extruded cylinder. 
     
     
       14. The torsion damper of  claim 9 , wherein:
 the flange plate includes an extruded cylinder; and, 
 the plurality of springs displaces the first plate and the flange plate so that the central bore and the extruded cylinder are in contact. 
 
     
     
       15. The torsion damper of  claim 9 , wherein the first plate includes an outer circumference and the central bore forms an inner circumference and wherein a radial distance between the inner and outer circumferences is non-uniform. 
     
     
       16. A torque converter, comprising:
 an output hub; 
 a cover; 
 a pump shell fixedly connected to the cover; 
 a torque converter clutch; and, 
 a torsion damper including:
 a first plurality of springs; 
 a second plurality of springs radially inward of the first plurality of springs; 
 first and second cover plates engaged with the first and second pluralities of springs; and, 
 a flange engaged with the second plurality of springs and arranged to transmit torque to the output hub, wherein:
 the flange includes a first central bore and a first central axis radially centered with respect to the first central bore; 
 the flange includes an outside diameter and an offset axis radially centered with respect to the outside diameter; and, 
 the first central axis and the offset axis are non co-linear.